Friday, January 8, 2016

On the Go with the Mazda CX-5

I could tell you about the 2.5L Skyactiv-G engine, the Bluetooth technology, the heated front seats, or the fact that the Mazda CX-5 gets better mileage than other crossovers in its class -- but what I really want you to know is how much fun I had driving this ride. The hubs and I took the Mazda CX-5 for a weekend trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and beyond. It was the best car to take through the mountains, the beach towns and the unique areas in between. Because it's a crossover, you don't feel like you're driving around in a tank. But you certainly have more than enough legroom in both the front and back seats (which come in a stunning white parchment). The hubs is over 6-feet, so he really enjoyed the added head space as well.

For me, it was nice being up so high. I'm used to driving cars that are pretty low to the ground, so it was a great change to be higher than many other cars on the road. We picked up the Mazda in L.A. and put our luggage in the trunk, which was pretty sizable. We also tested out the backseats and noticed that they could go pretty far down, which would be a good option for towing around our two pups. We cruised through the city -- taking it from the LACMA and the La Brea Tar Pits to West Hollywood and Silverlake. After New Years, we utilized the navigation system to conveniently direct us to San Diego via the Pacific Coast Highway. If you've ever been to California, then you must take a drive down the PCH. It was wonderful playing our music through the Bluetooth system while taking in the little beach towns of Carlsbad and La Jolla.

When the hubs started to get tired, he moved to the passenger seat and reclined it almost 50% for a comfy sleep. It was then my turn to zoom-zoom in style. When I drive, I like being able to put my seat up high enough to see the front of the car, and the CX-5 allowed me to do just that. I also loved the blind spot alert system on the side mirrors that came on whenever you put on your turn signal. The Mazda CX-5 was definitely a great mix of safety and fun, and because it's a crossover (like a smaller SUV), it was easy to drive it from the cities of of SoCal to the more deserted areas of Slab City and Salvation Mountain. I think I might have to leave my sporty sedan behind for a sporty utility vehicle instead...

Thanks so much to DriveShop for letting me take this car out for a spin!